Welcome to Vermont Jump$tart!

Phone: 877-242-8550

As a nonprofit organization, the Vermont Jump$tart Coalition of volunteers depends on the generosity of Vermonters, those in the business community as well as individuals, to donate funds to support our work. Please consider a donation to Vermont Jump$tart by donating to us through the Network for Good. Please click on the "Network for Good" icon above.

December Jump$tart Meeting Announced

Vermont Jump$tart would like to thank our keynote speakers, Annette and Steve Economides (www.moneysmartfamily.com), for their many common sense insights, tips, and resources on how to live within one's income. They attested to the fact that it is indeed possible to raise five children on a yearly income of about $35,000. We also want to thank our other wonderful presenters for giving of their time and knowledge:

Five Habits of Highly Successful Investors: Gauthier Wallaert of TIAA-CREF

Game of Life (budgeting simulation game): Jennifer Sweeney and Jimena Huaco of Champlain College

Consumerism and Buying Power: Michael Knight of Green Mountain United Way

Stress Less on Your Taxes: Deb Behm, CPA, and Lynette Kemp and Lisa Pinkus of the Vermont Department of Taxes

South Burlington HS Wins 2014 Treasury Cup

South Burlington High School was awarded the Vermont Treasury Cup as the winner of the 2014 challenge. State Treasurer Beth Pearce awarded the gold challenge cup to the team. Pictured here with the State Treasurer are: (top l to r) Sara Ruch, Charlotte Mills, Coach Eric Stone, Ben Jewkes and Phil Holt.

Vermont Jump$tart Recognizes Financial Literacy Champions

The Vermont Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy recognized four Vermont high schools as recipients of the 2014 Financial Literacy Champion Award at a ceremony on April 10 in Montpelier. This first year of the annual award honored Vergennes Union High School, Vergennes; Missisquoi Valley Union High School, Swanton; Fair Haven Union High School, Fair Haven; and U-32 High School, Montpelier, for their commitment to make financial literacy a requirement for graduation.

The Vermont Jump$tart Financial Literacy Champion Award recognizes leadership and outstanding innovation and achievement in the effort to advance the financial literacy of Vermont youth. The honor comes with a $1,000 cash award which was equally divided among the four recipients of the 2014 award. Though each school may have a different approach, all four high schools have demonstrated a pronounced commitment to financial literacy by introducing required coursework that teaches the skills necessary for responsible personal money management.

“Whether these young adults go on to further their education or go directly to work, money management skills are essential to make the money they earn stretch to meet their current expenses as well as save for the future,” said Judy Ribolini, president of Vermont Jump$tart’s board of directors. “We at Vermont Jump$tart are excited to be able to recognize the schools that are leading the way to help our students achieve financial independence after graduation.”

Vergennes Union High School was first to make personal finance a requirement for graduation in 2009, followed by Missisquoi, Fair Haven and U-32. Vergennes offers personal finance as either a half-credit math or social studies course, each providing a different perspective to the subject to accommodate students’ learning preferences. Starting with the class of 2014, Missisquoi seniors are learning the basic principles of how to earn, save, budget and manage money through a semester-long, half-credit course.

In 2013, Fair Haven’s school board authorized a course in consumer economics/personal finance that will enable the students in the class of 2018 to apply math and decision-making skills to a range of finance and consumer topics. The class of 2018 at U-32 also will graduate with the skills to manage their personal finances responsibly, including knowledge about income, saving, credit, debt risk management, insurance and investing.

The awards ceremony was one of several activities recognizing Vermont schools and student achievement in financial literacy. Vermont Lt. Gov. Phil Scott kicked off the event with the presentation of a proclamation signed by Gov. Peter Shumlin declaring April as Financial Literacy Month in Vermont. Students and their schools also were recognized for their participation in the Reading is an Investment program, sponsored by the Vermont Treasurer’s Office, TD Bank and the Windham Foundation, and the Be Money Wise poster contest, sponsored by the Treasurer’s Office and the Vermont Bankers Association.

Students Honored in Vermont Treasurer's Financial Literacy Programs

The Office of the Vermont Treasurer recognized students from across the state in two of its financial literacy programs, Reading is an Investment and the Be Money Wise Poster Contest. In Reading is an Investment, 20 elementary school students were awarded $250 college savings accounts. Their names were selected through a random drawing of more than 4,100 Vermont students who completed reading logs! Program supporters included: Tuck Rainwater, Comcast Community Relations Director; Deborah Unica, Administrator of the Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan, VSAC; State Treasurer Beth Pearce; and TD Bank Vermont President Phil Daniels. Sixteen winner attended the ceremony.

In the Be Money Wise Poster Contest, state treasurer Beth Pearce and Chris D'Elia, president of the Vermont Bankers Association, recognized each student individually who placed 1st through 3rd in each division. The contest was open to students in elementary through high school.

ABA Announces Winners in Financial Literacy Video Contest

In recognition of America Saves Week, the American Bankers Association announced the top three winners in its national “Lights, Camera, Save!” video contest. We thought our students and teachers in Vermont might enjoy watching the videos. To view the videos, click here.

The judging panel, which consisted of personal finance and marketing experts, awarded Oskar Velazquez De Leon the grand prize for his video, “Advice from My Car.” Velazquez De Leon, from Mesa, Ariz., was a national finalist after winning first place at the U.S. Bank branch in Mesa, Arizona.

The campaign, which launched in 2010 as an offshoot of ABA’s Teach Children to Save program, is a unique competition that encourages kids to use video to communicate the value of saving and motivate their peers. More than 120 banks and branches from 44 states hosted local levels of the competition and selected a winner to represent their bank to compete at the national level. Keating attributes LCS’ success to the bankers’ efforts in promoting and hosting the contest locally.

The parent program, Teach Children to Save, is a national campaign to organize banker volunteers in efforts to educate young people about the importance of developing a lifelong savings habit. This year the program will celebrate its 18th anniversary on April 11. Since 1997, it has reached 6 million young people with the help of more than 130,500 banker volunteers.

"Color of Money" Presentation from the 2013 Common $ense Conference

If you missed the Common $ense Conference and the "Color of Money" presentation by Kit Ardell of the University of Vermont, we have it here for you.

Speakers Bureau

VT Jump$tart continues to work with teachers and groups interested in inviting a guest speaker to make a presentation on a financial topic. However, our Speakers Bureau has lost its volunteer coordinator, so we will try to field requests as best we can. We ask for your patience as try to fill specific requests.

Many thanks to our Contributors and Partners who have graciously supported our efforts to promote youth financial literacy.

LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Working together we can improve the financial literacy of Vermont's youth.If you're involved with or concerned about students learning how to handle money successfully - you've come to the right place.The Vermont Jump$tart Coalition is a non-profit organization with a number of individuals and organizations representing business, government and education who have joined together to improve the personal financial literacy of Vermont's youth.

Vermont Jump$tart Coalition's goals:

To support educators in bringing financial literacy to the classrooms

To actively recruit members and sponsors

The Vermont Jump$tart Coalition is a proud affiliate of the National Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy. The National Jump$tart Coalition, based in Washington, D.C., was first convened in 1995 and consists of over 200 organizations committed to improving the financial literacy of America's youth. For more information, visit their Web site.